A number of years ago my middle son Everett and I were on our annual camping vacation, this time up at Acadia National Park in Maine. It was a long drive and we stopped on a wooded coastal path to take a walk. As we walked on the paved roadside path, up ahead I saw a deer sprawled out in front of us across the path. Its head and body were completely limp against the ground and I assumed it was dead, perhaps have been struck by a passing car from the road above. We instantly stopped in our tracks and my hands went to my heart, feeling so sad and helpless for this poor deer that had lost its life so innocently. Tears started to well up in my eyes and I didn't want to move forward towards it. Eventually we started walking ahead and, as we did, the deer started to change. It started shape-shifting and, as we were nearly upon it, I noticed that it wasn't dead at all! It was in fact a big living tree root that had busted out of the paved pathway. Everett and I stood there deeply laughing at ourselves… but also seriously relieved. I tell this story because so often we look at something and we see it as something completely different than it actually is. We create stories based upon our immediate perception, not taking the time to investigate and see if our view is real. These misperceptions can drive significant emotions and actions, putting us into a state of stress, frustration, overwhelm, fear, sadness,… the whole gamut. Without checking in, slowing down, asking questions (“Is this true?”) or having “don't know” mind, we can get entangled pretty quickly. Mindfulness helps us sharpen our perceptual field to notice more accurately what is actually there and notice what we might not know. It offers us more authentic relationship to our experiences and supports a more cohesive engagement with life. Basically, mindfulness can shift to you from reactivity to reality. So if you want to “get more real”, check out the upcoming Intro to Mindfulness & Meditation class that starts Thursday April 12. Block your calendar, register, and make a plan. In the meantime, I'm always happy to have a 1-1 conversation to see how this practice can fit into your life and help you create the best life ever.